All Grandparented Class certificates of registration will expire on April 1, 2018.
The Grandparented Class was intended to be transitional only. It provided TCM practitioners who were practising in Ontario prior to 2013 an opportunity to join the College. Members of the Grandparented Class were given 5 years (from April 1, 2013) to meet the requirements for the General Class. One of the requirements included successfully completing the PLAR process. Another requirement was to submit an Application for transfer to the General Class. The College has reminded Grandparented members on several occasions that the Application was due no later than November 1, 2017.
In light of the fact that your Grandparented Class of Certificate of Registration will expire on April 1, 2018, the College is writing to provide guidance with closure of your TCM and acupuncture practice.
1. Patient Notification. The College requires you to take immediate action and notify each patient / client that you will no longer be a member of the College effective April 1, 2018. You will need to ensure that their records are transferred to successors or another member, or are otherwise retained or disposed in a secure manner in accordance with the College’s Standard of Practice on record keeping (Standard of Practice 5). You must also assist with the transfer of patient care to another practitioner.
2. Holding out after April 1, 2018.
- You cannot use the protected title(s) of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and/or Acupuncturist and designation(s) of R. TCMP and R. Ac, a variation or abbreviation or an equivalent in another language, in Ontario.
- You cannot hold yourself out as a person who is qualified to practise in Ontario as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and/or Acupuncturist.
- You cannot perform the controlled acts authorized to members of the College. If you do any of the above, you will be breaching the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act and could be subject to court proceedings and/or significant fines.
3. Jurisdiction of the College. Please remember that if the College receives a complaint after April 1, 2018 about your conduct that occurred prior to April 1, 2018, the College can investigate the complaint. You remain subject to the College for professional misconduct referable to the time when you were a member.
Please note that you are able to reapply for registration with the College. However, when you apply, you will need to meet the registration requirements that are in place at the time. For the General Class, this will mean demonstrating that you have completed the required education in TCM and completing the Registration Examination. Visit our website for more information on the College registration requirements.
Enclosed is a checklist to assist you with closing your TCM and acupuncture practice. If you have any questions, please contact the College for assistance at 416-238-7359 or by email at info@ctcmpao.on.ca.
